


All eyes on you

by Doombunny



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Dubious Consent, F/M, mentions of drug use
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-18
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-02-26 06:28:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 8
Words: 19,630
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21845191
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Doombunny/pseuds/Doombunny
Summary: WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic.  If you don’t like that then please don’t read this.  It is intended for 18+ readers onlyThis was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby VeeSteve Rogers is a man who knows what he wants and how to get it.
Relationships: Steve Rogers/OFC
Comments: 7
Kudos: 33





	1. Chapter 1

Lights flashed, the bass of the music thumped in an almost hypnotic rhythm as you worked your way along the bar serving the customers who all seemed desperate for your attention. You couldn’t help but sigh as you used the back of your hand to push your hair out of your face, your feet hurt, you were too hot and you had a headache coming on. 

Working behind a bar had not been your goal in life, but sometimes plans got derailed. You had always hoped to become a teacher and work with small children., It seemed to you that being able to help young minds develop would be a worthy job that could really have a positive impact. College wasn’t something that you could afford as soon as you graduated high school, it was just you and your Father, and he was more interested in how quickly he could get to the bar. So you had looked for a job to let you build up some savings and, when you could afford it you had taken the odd night class. 

Telemarketing had sucked but it gave you time to study and to see the few friends you had made and eventually to pay the rent for a small studio apartment you had found. That had been your life right up until things had changed. The business you had worked for had closed and you struggled to find another job that would cover your small living expenses. Eventually you managed to stack up a couple of different jobs. During the day you worked in a local coffee shop and then at night you travelled across the city to work in the club or a near by restaurant. It wasn’t ideal but you did what you needed to in order to make ends meet. 

As you handed out drinks, your best customer service smile in place, you let your mind drift to thoughts of a shower and a your bed. It wasn’t an exciting life but you took your pleasures where you could. Turning to a customer with their drink in hand you had the feeling that someone was watching you, taking the cash for the drink you looked down the bar to see if you had missed someone. Quick service guaranteed a better tip and tips were how you afforded nicer things, like heating and food. You couldn’t see anyone who seemed put out so you moved onto the next customer, not noticing the blue eyes that watched you from a darkened corner.

The feeling of the cold air against your cheeks felt wonderfully refreshing as you stepped out pulling your jacket closer around your body. The change in temperature was jarring but helped ease off the ache in your temples. Looking up and down the street it was fairly desolate, just a few stragglers heading hime from a night out and a couple of homeless people trying to keep warm in a doorway. There was always something unsettling about walking along the streets at this time of night. A level of discomfort that wouldn’t leave you. It had felt worse of late you regularly felt uneasy, but when you looked around no one was there. You took a deep breath, the cold sear feeling tight in your lungs before putting in your earbuds and starting for home, The walk to the subway was always the worst part of the journey as the street lights tended to be unreliable and walking along the streets while they were quiet was unsettling, but if you started to pay for cabs then you would soon eat through your pay checks

You bounced slightly as you waited at the crosswalk trying to keep your body warm in the frigid air. 

“Jesus come on change” you muttered to yourself. 

The hairs on the back of your neck rose and you shoved your hands deep into your pockets, fingers curled into fists as you hunched your shoulders to give you some shelter. The crosswalk flashed the all clear and you double checked for traffic before stepping out. As you walked you couldn’t help but curl in on yourself as you felt the hairs on the back of your neck raise as if in warning. 

It had been happening more often after you left the club to head home. At first you had thought it was just your imagination, then you had been sure that someone had been following you, and now you weren’t sure. It wasn’t as if there was anything interesting about you that would inspire someone to follow you. Perhaps it was just your mind tricking you, you were always tired when you left and you had always had an overactive imagination. You tried to shrug it off but the feeling of unease wouldn’t leave. As you reached the curb you took another chance to look around you, there was no one around that you could see, but the the shadows could let someone hide from you. You gave a full body shudder before dropping your head and focusing on heading to the subway. 

Steve watched her as she headed home for the night. She was wrapped up against the winter weather which offered him some comfort. He didn’t like that she worked in the night-club, it wasn’t a safe place and the way that the clientele looked at her made his blood boil. She didn’t need to be ogled by those men, she needed someone who could look our for her and keep her safe. She was so unaware of what was happening around her. she didn’t even notice that he had followed her for the past four months. 

He had first seen her when he had stopped off for a drink at a small coffee shop. He had heard some of the secretaries talking about the place while he eavesdropped from a meeting room. He hadn’t planned to listen in, most of the time the conversation was dull, but occasionally he would pick up on something interesting from the office grapevine. He had been bored one afternoon and had headed out that way. 

The shop looked nothing special and he had turned to walk away, when she had caught his eye. She was wiping down a table by the window, her dark hair was tucked behind her ear, and she was dressed simply in a loose skirt, a sleeveless top and a loose cardigan, Despite her simple clothes, she had been graceful and focused on her job. A customer who wanted to order called her back to the counter and he felt compelled to go in and see her up close. He watched as the man at the counter placed his order, The woman had made brief eye contact but focused on her work and kept her head down as she made his drink. She was polite, smiled nicely and made sure that the customers had good service, but she didn’t flaunt herself and he found that more attractive than he would ever have imagined. He had been called back to Stark Tower before he could actually place his order and get to meet her face to face. He had left but even as he walked away he was formulating a plan to get to come and see her again

It was another week before he managed to head back to the small shop again. The coffee woman as he thought of her was on his mind the while time. They had been sent to check out some threat that was brewing. Possible Hydra agents, possible terrorists, quite possibly he had though, a waste of his time. He had found himself lying in his bunk, listening to the deep breaths of his compatriots, hand wrapped around his hard dick, bringing himself to completion as he imagined her hands wrapped around him, her warm soft lips. He could see her using both hands, looking up at him with those deep blue eyes as she knelt at his feet, her lips slightly parted, until she brought her mouth to him. It didn’t take long for him to cum lost in his thoughts of the woman whose name he didn’t even know.

As soon as he was back in New York and debriefed, he headed back to the coffee shop, he made sure to wear a hat and glasses, he didn’t want people to take notice of him, he needed to see her and make sure that she was ok, and that she was behaving appropriately. Any woman of his needed to carry herself correctly. It was dusk by the time he got there and she was closing up the shop. He watched as she tidied up and turned out the lights, before locking the door, and pulling down the window shutters, She was dressed differently, tight jeans, a vest top and a jacket over the top. He wasn’t a fan of the look, it showed far more of her figure than he was happy with. Only he should know the outline of her body, it wasn’t for others to look at. He could feel the muscle in his jaw tick with annoyance, He followed her at a distance, merging into the crowd as she headed across the city. She had stopped at a crosswalk and pulled out earbuds, putting them in before she crossed the road. He had followed her until she reached a nightclub. He had glanced at his wrist, it was too early for the club to open, but she had knocked at the door and waited, He stayed back in a doorway, wrinkling his nose at the smell of urine that covered the area. She had been admitted by a large man who locked the door behind him. Steve’s lip curled in disgust, why was she in a place like that? She was worth more than that, didn’t she understand how dangerous these placed could be! They were hunting grounds for predators. His hands curled into fists and he hissed a breath out through his teeth, this was not acceptable. 

He had stormed back to Stark Tower, a scowl firmly in place and headed the the workout room. He had spent forty minutes taking out his frustrations on the heavy bag, working out his anger and thinking through how he would deal with this situation. Wiping the sweat from his body with a small towel he headed for the shower, a plan building in his head to deal with keeping his woman safe, and dealing with some of the other frustrations he felt.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic. If you don’t like that then please don’t read this. It is intended for 18+ readers only 
> 
> This was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby Vee

The electronic lock breaker that he had taken from the gear room made popping the lock to the coffee shop no more complex than opening the door to ones car He moved quickly placing the pin head camera in such a way to ensure that he would be able to see her where ever she was. The bathroom had given him pause but in the end he placed one there too. On the way out he paused by the employee aprons and ran his hand over them, One of these had been on her body, had touched her skin. His breath stuttered as gave a deep inhale and then let it go, his hand trailing over the fabric and his dick starting to stiffen. He palmed himself through his jeans squeezing slightly and enjoying the slight pressure. 

“There’s time enough for that old man” he muttered to himself. He left as quietly as he had come and headed across town to the club he had seen her in. He queued along with the other party goers and found himself in the loud oppressive atmosphere. His eyes scanned his surroundings, pausing on the bodies which writhed against each other on the dance floor. His lip curled in disgust, He wasn’t a prude, far from it, but this behaviour in public wasn’t something he could support, there was a time and place for such things. Scanning the crowd he couldn’t see her on the dance floor, he should have known that his girl wouldn’t degrade herself in that way. He scouted the edges, sharp blue eyes taking in everything, cataloging, assessing. 

Finally his eyes settled on her, she was behind the bar, smiling that same polite smile from the coffee shop, serving beer and liquor to the customers, rebuffing advances politely and focussing on her job. he understood why she dressed in close fitting clothes, it would help her get tips, it had been the same in his time. He sat at a table in the shadows and watched her as she moved, confident and efficient. He could see when customers made her uncomfortable by the blush that stained her cheeks. The first time he saw it he felt a flash of anger, and was half way out of his seat before be got control of himself He watched as she backed away and her smile became a little more stiff. Her cheeks went from a slight flush to a darker one and she quickly moved onto the next customer. The asshole moved from the bar and into the crowd and he kept his attention on her. The blush faded bit and he found his eyes drawn to it, how easily could he make that blush appear?, how far would it go down her body?, would she go that colour when she came around his cock. His hand drifted to his pants and he stroked himself hard twice, a growl building up. He stayed and watched her, turning down the women and men that stopped at the table and invited themselves to spend time with him. He ignored them all, only reacting when they touched him with a hand wrapped with crushing force around their wrists as he removed them from his person. He stayed until closing time, leaving in the middle of a group but going no further than the doorway he had used before. He watched and waited until eventually she appeared, pausing to do up her jacked and put in her earbuds 

“Night Belle” the muscled bouncer called out as he went to shut the door. Steve had already catalogued him and knew that he posed no actual challenge. He watched as she raised her hand in farewell and then left. He followed at a distance keeping to the nights shadows charting her progress. She was, he believed, completely unaware of his presence but he kept his distance just in case, He needed to know whether she was as good as she seemed. He followed her to her apartment, the area was run down, and he didn’t like that she lived here, she seemed to keep making poor decisions. He watched for lights coming on in windows out the front and when he saw nothing he jogged round the block to the rear and watched until he saw the light come on. He stared at the window until the lights went out before heading back across town.

Putting the cameras in the night-club took almost no time, he found the staff locker room and it didn’t take long to find her’s. Belle Cunningham. He hummed at the name trying it out on his tongue. “Belle, Ma Belle” He gave a toothy smile, yes he could work with that. The locker opened easily and he went through the items, tampons, a sweater and t-shirt, a waist level apron. a lipstick and a summer scarf. There were no pictures or other personal items. 

He picked up the scarf and held it to his nose. There was a warm woodsy vanilla smell that he sucked deep into his lungs. He ran the fabric through his fingers as he breathed in again. It was soft, just like her body would be. His hand went to his belt and he loosened it, popping the button and pulling down the zipper, freeing his rock hard dick. Pre cum was already showing at the tip as he curled his fist around it and stroked hard, with a sharp twist. He groaned into the scarf and his eyes closed He remembered the blush on her cheeks, the demure way that her eyes would flick to the floor, the way her lips moved when she smiled. He grunted as he moved his hand faster, throwing his head back neck muscles tensing he got closer to coming , In his minds eye he could see her, soft lips wrapped around his dick, eyes watering he thrust into her mouth, his hand wrapped in her hair, her hand resting on his thighs. He could see the tears in her eyes as she choked a little. He would pause and hold her there for a moment before moving again. She would trust him, she would know that he would take her to her limit but would do no actual harm. With a final grunt he spilled himself over his hand and the floor. He slumped forward, his head resting on the door to her locker, the soft woodsy scent still filling his nose. The metal was cool against his head as he rested there and it felt good. Eventually he pulled himself upright, tucking away his cock and zipping up. Picking up the apron from Belle’s locker he wiped his hand on the back, leaving a little of himself behind before the closed up the locker putting the scarf into his pocket. The ball cap went back on his head an the couldn't help but whistle as he left as quietly as he came 

The cameras gave him everything he was looking for. He could see her at work, he could watch how she opened the shop alone just before sun up, how she was polite and kind to the customers but kept her distance. He could see how she didn’t seem to enjoy being stared at in the bar and when he needed to he would use her scarf as he pleasured himself, huffing her scent like an addict. When ever he got the chance he wold watch the footage, it was all recorded digitally, modern technology, he decided, was in fact a wonderful thing.

Eventually it wasn’t enough to see her at work and he waited until she left for the day before heading out himself. It was still dark in her street as he worked on the front door. 

He stopped to check her mailbox, looking through her post. It seemed to mostly be bills so he left them behind and headed up to her actual apartment. He wasn’t happy with the size or what she had. It was a small studio affair and she had used screens to try and section off areas, but it was sparse. Everything she had seemed worn down and frankly shabby. He looked in the fridge and cupboards, she had basic supplies. Her clothes were simple, all practical and suited for work. He ran his hands through them stopping on the skirt that he had seen on her that first day. The bathroom was clean, she didn’t have expensive products. He sniffed at her shampoo before putting it back on the shelf again. He added more cameras in each area, making sure that he could catch her from every angle. He had been ready to leave again when his eyes fell on her bed. He sat on the end, hand running over the sheets before he swung himself around and lay with his head on her pillow. The smell was a stronger version of what was on the scarf and he found himself rolling around the sheets as if he were a cat. 

He rubbed his face in her pillow and along he sheets before reaching to pull off his jacket and shirt, then his pants and underwear until he lay there naked and hard as a rock. He sucked in huge lungfuls of her scent, as he rubbed against she sheets, his dick gliding over the covers a groan of delight rumbling in his chest. The smell surrounded him and filled his senses, when rubbing wasn’t enough he grabbed a handful of the sheets and started to stroke himself. The smell was wonderful but it wasn’t enough, the sheets were too rough and he couldn’t hold onto her image. Frustrated he pushed himself up and stomped to the bathroom, he coated his hand with her conditioner, the scent of vanilla filling the air before he headed back to her bed. rubbing the cream between his hands to warm it he reached for his dick, coating it, letting his hand twist and pull at his dick and then drift lower to his balls where tugged gently. His breath came in pants “Fuck, fuck, fuck” 

He could feel the pressure in his balls growing, eyes squeezed closed, her scent consuming his senses he grunted and writhed and stroked harder. This woman was his, she was in his mind and she owned him. He needed her, he needed her body, he needed to hold her and keep her safe. He brought a hand to his nipple, squeezing hard, the final spike of pain pushing him over the edge. With the first pulse of his completion he rolled to the side letting his cum spill out onto her sheets. His breathing slowed, pants evening out as he came back to himself. The sight of his cum on her sheets, their scents mingling started to make his dick hard again, and a smile broke out over his face. She was his and she didn’t even know it, but she would in time. Until then he would make sure she had traces of him around her. rolling to his side, away from the wet spot, he pulled up her covers and closed his eyes, sleep coming quickly as her smell cocooned him.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic. If you don’t like that then please don’t read this. It is intended for 18+ readers only 
> 
> This was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby Vee

Belle was heading down into the subway station after another long night when another body collided with hers, she stumbled slightly and a gloved hand reached out to help steady her. “Sorry Miss” a gruff voice apologised, Belle glanced up pulling our her earbuds to apologize, she hadn’t really been looking where she was going

“ Um Sure no problem” She caught a glimpse of what she though were blue eyes and a beard from under a hat before she was on her way. She couldn’t help but feel a little shaken, at this time of night she hadn’t expected anyone to be be about to bang into her, but she should have been making an effort to keep an eye out. Deciding to leave her earbuds out she headed down to catch her train.

Steve smiled as he stopped at the top of the stairs, Her voice was rich and melodious but gentle just like he imagined. They had their first contact and it was everything he had hoped for.

Belle shivered as she locked her front door. The cold was bitter and despite the many layers that she had worn she was chilled to the bone. The apartment wasn’t a lot warmer than outside which meant that she would need to contact the Super again about the boiler. There was no point in doing anything tonight so she pulled on a sweater before deciding to make some tea. Sipping from her cup she moved to her old beat up laptop and composed a short message to the Super asking him to look at the boiler, before turning on some light jazz and settling down to fold laundry. Working through the pile she made a quick count of her t-shirts, she was sure that she had washed her dark blue one, but it wasn’t in the pile. Checking the laundry basket didn’t turn up the shirt which meant that she had probably left it in the basement laundry room. It was too late and far too creepy to head down there at this time of night, she would need to remember to check there tomorrow. Putting away her clothes she settled into bed with the last if her tea and a book, her eyes quickly drifting closed.

He ran his thick finger over the small screen that sat in his lap. His Belle looked so peaceful as she slept. Her dark eyelashes rested on her cheeks and she took deep even breaths. He had watched her as she went about folding her clothes, tensing a little as she noticed on of her shirts was missing, He knew she wouldn’t find it in her apartment, it was currently sitting on his bed at home waiting for him. He enjoyed the soft jazz that she had put on. It wasn’t big band music but he liked the soft sounds, it even made the modern songs sound better when they were played that way. He watched her sleeping for a little while longer before setting down his phone and heading back home. He had work to be getting on with and plans to finalise.

Steve had been kept away with one mission after another and while he could keep an eye on Belle with the cameras it was not the same as being able to actually see her. Watching the cameras while he could go and grab a coffee from her at the coffee shop was fine, but relying on them to be his only source of exposure only ramped up his frustration. He needed to feel a little of the soft touch of her skin when she handed over his change, he needed to be able to draw in the rich scent of her as she passed to clean up tables or collect glasses. He couldn’t even bring the scarf or t-shirt with him. There was no way to explain to the others why he was carrying them and frankly he didn’t want to deal with the questions. By the time he and the team were heading back to Stark Tower battered and bruised he was like a bear with a sore head. 

“Man I hope that Hydra give us a break for a while, I need some R&R” Sam joked as he rested back in the flight seat. “I can’t wait to grab a shower and a hot meal and then head out for drinks and dancing”

“You have anywhere specific in mind?” Nat questioned and Steve grunted as he tried to drown out their chatter maybe if he could sleep things would be over more quickly. He had his own plans to work on and didn’t give a damn about the others.

“Yeah - there’s a club I like - Nocturne, It’s across town, not the best area, but the drinks are good and…” As soon as Sam had mentioned the name of the club Steve had tensed, that was Belle’s club. The idea if of the others being there, being near her, being able to touch her made his heart race, They were going to be near his girl and that was not something he could allow to happen. His hands tightened as he tried to control his temper, the arms of the flight seat creaking and groaning under his grip. He was pulled back to the here and now by a mental hand on his arm, Turning his head to the side, glare firmly in place he looked into Bucky’s face before glancing down at his friends metal hand. Bucky glanced down at the flight seat drawing his attention to the damage he was doing to the chair. That look was all it took, they had worked together for long enough for Steve to understand what Bucky was telling him and to know that his old friend would not mention what he had seen. He nodded once and let go of arm rests calling to Sam and the others. 

“So what time are we heading to the club?” he asked, keeping’s tone light. He couldn’t look over, they would see the truth in his face, but he needed to see his girl and going with the others would keep things on the down low. There was a pause as the others realised that for once he would join them on a night out

“Er how about 9, that work for everyone ?” Nat checked.

“Sure; I’m gonna get some shut eye and rest up for a bit “ Steve offered as he closed his eyes reworking his plan behind his closed eyes. Slowly he smiled as he brought things together in his mind, It wasn’t ideal but in a few short hours he would be able to see his girl and he had the perfect shield.

It was another busy night in the club. Belle hadn’t had a chance to take a break as the patrons queued for drinks. Her expected colleague for the night hadn’t turned up for their shift and the back up bartender was on their way in but they would be at least another half hour. Most of them had been patient but there had been the odd asshole who gave her grief. Taking a moment she pulled the scarf from around her neck and used it to tie back her hair. It wasn’t the best solution but the sweat was running into her eyes and she was fed up brushing her hair back. 

“Yo baby, What’s guy got to do ta get a drink round here ?” the brash voice of a customer from earlier rose over the din. Belle sucked in a deep breath, the guy had been an asshole from the minute he had entered, acting up to get the attention of the scantily dressed women. She gave him a tight smile and a nod getting him know that she had heard him. There were other customers in the line that needed served first. She knew that Mr Douche as she had mentally started calling him, would not be happy but there wasn’t anything she could do about it.

“Wow some folks are just assholes, huh” The petite red head who was next in line smiled at Belle as she titled her head in the direction of the Douche. 

Belle smiled back “Yeah, drink doesn’t always agree with some people. What can I get for you?”. It was a simple but large order and Belle dug out a couple of trays for the other woman to use. “OK here you go, I can keep an eye on the second tray while you take that one over if you want. Just shout and I can pass it over” . The red head squeezed her way out from the line and Belle went on serving working her way over to the Douche. She was about to take the order when the red head called out for the second tray. Belle heard the Douche sigh as she moved away and handed over the second tray, the red head smiled in gratitude before heading off.

“About damn time! I want a refill” The douche pushed his shot glass over in Belle’s direction his lip curled in distaste “In fact why don’t you get me two and make the second on he house for the wait”

Belle gave her best customer service smile as she struggled to not roll her eyes “I can happily get you two shots of what ever you want but we’re going to need you to pay for them both”

“Fuck that, you kept me waiting on purpose, You owe me princess!” Belle turned away to serve someone else This guy was clearly well on his way to a good hangover and was going to be difficult no matter what. A sharp jerk pulled her back causing her to stumble. The douche had his hand wrapped tightly around her wrist in a painful grip, and was hauling her back around to face him “Don’t walk away from me when I’m talking to you bitch!”

“I need you to take your hand off of me” It was busy enough that she knew it would take the bouncer longer to get to her than usual. She raised her hand in signal, hoping that who ever was working the floor would see her. She pulled against the hold the douche had on her arm but he just tightened his hold on her wrist causing her to grimace in pain as it felt like the bones in her wrist were grinding against each other. Obviously she wouldn’t be able to force the guy to let go of her 

“You’re hurting my arm sir, and I can’t get you the drink while you have hold of me” She tried to give her best genial smile but she knew that it looked strained and not all that genuine. She couldn’t help but glance out to look to see if there was any support coming her way A sharp twist to her wrist made her cry out   
“I think you should make it 3 now, for my troubles” the douche growled out 

“And I think you should take your hand off of the lady” a clear voice called out. The douche glanced over his shoulder before letting out a muffled grunt and letting go of her wrist. Belle stepped back cradling her wrist to her body and the douche fell to his knees, Standing behind him was the red head from earlier. “I think you’ve had enough and that you owe our bar tender an apology”

“Fuck you bitch!” Belle could only stare in amazement as the other woman’s hand whipped out, grabbing hold of the douches wrist and twisting it sharply until there was an audible crack. The man cried out and tried to pull away, though the red head didn’t let go

“A friend of mine is getting some help from the bouncer, he’ll make sure that this gentleman is escorted out”

Belle glanced over to where the woman had gestured with her head, and could see a tall, broad shouldered man with longer hair speaking to the bouncer and gesturing with his hand in their direction 

“Thank you, I ..I wasn’t sure what was going to happen” the whole event seemed a bit surreal and she was amazed that the woman had come over to deal with the douche while the man got help. 

“Don't worry about it, I’ll keep an eye on this one if you want to get your wrist seen to, or anything”

Belle glanced at her wrist where there were already bruises forming and some swelling. She really wanted to put ice on it, but the queue for drinks wasn’t going down “Yeah I think I probably need to get these folks some drinks or we’ll have an issue. Thanks for your help, I really do appreciate it. I’m Belle by the way”

“Nat - and don’t worry about it, it’s like my thing ” 

Belle carried on serving but remained hyper aware of the customers. She intended to go over and say thanks again to Nat and her male friend but by the time the relief bartender was there and she had them up to speed, they were long gone. She spoke with the owner and the bouncer that had thrown the douche bag out and set it up that if Nat and her friends came back then they could get free entry and drinks for the night. The manager hadn’t been happy that a patron had been hurt but when she had shown him her wrist he had backed down a little.

Between the meeting and shutting down the bar it was nearly an hour later than usual when she left to head home. Her wrist was aching and she wasn’t looking forward to her shift the next morning at the coffee shop. The usual feeling of being watched was back again, but tonight she didn’t put in her ear buds, worried that there would be a chance that the douche would have waited for her. She was just coming up to the final turn before she reached the straight stretch to the subway when she felt it, the presence of another person. It seemed that whom ever was watching her was not content to just look. 

She sped up her pace to a slow jog and used each road she crossed to look behind her. Every time she looked she didn’t see anyone there, but tonight she couldn’t ignore her gut. Someone was watching her, following her and she just needed to get somewhere safe. Tears started to from in her eyes as she had the feeling that who ever was there was getting closer. The jog turned into a run, each step jared her aching wrist but she couldn’t stop herself, someone was coming. The tears fell now, quickly blurring her vision, and the cries she fought to hold in made her lungs burn. 

Ahead she could see the lights of the subway entrance. Safety - just a few more meters, one more road crossing and she would be safe. She started to slow a little, checking left and right to make sure that there was no traffic coming She used the back of her hand to wipe away the moisture from her eyes and cheeks and then went to step off of the sidewalk. Her foot hit the ground but then her ankle turned and wrenched causing her to fall forwards. She thew her hands out trying to catch her balance but as soon as her sore wrist hit the ground she knew she had misjudged and she felt a slam of pain as her head hit the curb edge and her vision narrowed.

Steve had loved watching his girl at the bar. As always she wasn’t dressed in a way that he thought was becoming but her knew that things had changed since his day and this was what she needed to do in order to make her living. He did his best to join in with the conversation but made sure to always have one eye on her. Tonight was busy, more than he had ever seen it, and she seemed to be all alone which got his back up, She needed some help and support, he didn’t like to see his girl run ragged. She was doing her best and remained gracious through out. he loved the way that she had her hair kept out of her face. The scarf made her look like she came from his time, he knew that she didn’t know about him but he could day dream that she did it for him. When Nat had gone up to the bar he had offered to go and help, she had turned him down and he knew he couldn’t go up without making a scene, so he watched as Nat spoke to his girl and she served up drinks. He liked how she made eye contact when she served someone, and how she kept things clean and organised. It was the same as at the coffee shop. 

“Yo Cap you ok there man?” Sam broke through his day dreams pulling his focus back to the table.

“Yeah, Yeah I’m good Sam, just trying to work out if Nat needed a hand. Did I miss something? It’s hard to concentrate with the noise” He gave his best charming smile and Sam laughed before clapping him on the shoulder

“That’s not noise old man, that is what we call Music. You know if you came out from the corner there have been more than a few ladies who have come past that would like to have a dance and drink with THE Captain America” he continued 

Steve smiled “Perhaps, but how about we take small steps, let me get used to the music and then next time we’ll tackle the ladies After all I don’t know how to dance” For a moment in his head he saw a different face when he said that but then it was gone again 

“Hey man what ever you want, but if you don’t want to oblige them then I might” The younger man stood, emptying his glass as he did before throwing Steve a wink and heading out towards a group of women who kept staring their way. Nat made her way back with the tray and paused before heading back to the bar

“We might want to keep our eyes open, there could be a problem over at the bar” she gestured to where his girl was dealing with a customer “The guys as asshole. and he seems to be looking for a fight” 

Steve scowled as he watched the guy get more aggravated when Nat was given the second tray. He couldn’t hear the conversation over the sound of the music but it was obviously not a pleasant one. He wanted to go and pull the guy away from her, beat some manners into him, but he also didn’t want to make a scene. His jaw tensed as he ground his teeth together his hand pulling into a fist. He sucked air in harshly through his nose and didn’t try to hide his stare. Nat turned to follow his gaze and stood watching as well. They both saw her stumble back at the same time, Steve’s hand clenching down on his beer bottle hard enough to make it shatter spraying beer over him and the table. 

“Shit, there isn’t anyone there to help her” Nat muttered but he didn’t bother to respond, he was already on his feet and heading over to remove the assholes hand from his girl, and quite probably his arm from his body while he was at it. Nat pulled him back, 

“Look at state of you, your hand is cut up and you’re covered in beer - Go speak to the bouncer and i’ll help her out”

Steve growled in frustration but he could see her point. He didn’t want his girl to be scared of him the first time she saw him face to face so he headed in the other direction. The bouncer had seemed pissed at Nat to begin with but had come around when Nat had opened up her eyes wide and explained how it was scary but she had taken “self defence” classes and she was sorry if she hurt the man. Luckily the asshole had been swearing it up and hurling abuse so the bouncer had escorted him to the exit. By the time they were back at the table, the broken beer bottle had been cleaned up and no one was any the wiser as to what had happened but Steve couldn’t find the same sense of peace 

His hand twitched, he wanted to touch her and check she was ok, if he couldn’t do that then he wanted to be able to breathe in her scent and make sure she was safe. Christ he had been right here, in the same room as her and he hadn’t been able to keep her safe! He had worried in the past that his job would mean that he couldn’t have a woman, she would be in too much danger, but he could see now that in this modern world, there was enough danger that regardless of him being there or not, a woman wasn’t safe without a man to look after her.

He had sat for a bit longer watching his Belle as she got the new bar tender up to speed and carried on serving. She was obviously favouring one arm but he admired her dedication at keeping going. As soothing as watching her work was his anger just seemed to grow as he ran through what had happened with that asshole, how he had put his hands on her, He was sure that he had said something inappropriate too, if he would put his hands on her then he probably ran his mouth. 

The others seemed to be distracted with the music and other patrons and he knew that hanging around here wasn’t going to help him stay calm, but there was one thing that would help. He left his half drunk beer and headed out, a nod to the bouncer from earlier and he was out in the cold night air phone in hand as he typed, a few seconds later he had the information that he needed and a direction in which to focus his attention.


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic. If you don’t like that then please don’t read this. It is intended for 18+ readers only 
> 
> This was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby Vee

Steve took a moment to wash his hands in the sink, the clear water soon turning pink as the blood washed away “You know, there is a lot of modern technology that I don’t get, but mobile phones, they are just so convenient, It took me maybe 5 minutes to get your details,Gavin. Five minutes and I knew where you lived, what you do for a living and how many parking tickets you’ve had. Once I had that information it took a few clicks and I was guided right to your door” A low groan came from behind him and he turned as he dried his hands on a tea towel that was lying on the side. Leaning back against the worktop he looked down at the man on the floor

“You see, you thought you were untouchable, but it turns out that wasn’t the case. You’re behaviour tonight wasn’t acceptable, but I think you’ve learnt that now, haven’t you ? If I were you I would avoid Nocturne, if you were to go there and make more poor choices, well what happened tonight will seem like child’s play” 

Moving forward he squatted down in front of the man who had dared to lay hands on his Belle. With one hand he turned the mans head to face his way, holding it there until the battered man was able to open one of his eyes. They were quickly swelling closed but for the moment he could still make eye contact, “Don’t make me come back here again, and don’t run. Remember 5 minutes is all I took” 

He could see the fear in the guys eyes. As tough as he had acted earlier in the night, when Steve kicked in his door, the tough guy act was dropped in only a couple of minutes after Steve had shown him what it was like for someone to put their hands on you when you couldn’t do anything about it. 

“You’ll want to get some ice on those ribs friend” he added as he walked away pausing by the door “And call a locksmith to fix the door up. It looks like the lock was broken when someone tried to break in. It’s lucky that you caught them before they did too much damage” He glanced at his watch seeing that it was later than planned. Hopefully he wouldn’t miss being able to keep an eye on his girl as she headed home.

He had been sure that he would miss her leaving tonight but it seemed that she too was running late. They really were that well aligned. He didn’t have time to get behind her and take his usual route, so instead he headed up to the roof tops, making use of a fire escape. He could tell that she was tense after tonight, she didn’t have her ear buds in and she was moving in a more jerky way, trying to keep an eye on everything. He as glad that she was being more aware but he hated that she didn’t feel safe. As her pace continued to increase, he grew concerned, what had her so spooked? He kept pace with her, he could see the subway up ahead and realised that he would need to head down to be able to keep following her. As she came close to where she would cross he spend up and jumped from the roof landing with a solid thud onto he ground, bending his knees to absorb some of the impact, but he still felt the jolt through his joints. Super soldier serum made him stronger but his body still felt the forces and damage before his body healed. He could see his girl up the road, checking to see that it was safe to cross, she was wiping at her face, as she stepped down, he saw her ankle turn and started to run, but he knew that he wouldn’t get there before she hit the ground. He watched her try and brace for impact, saw her wrist collapse, her head hit the ground and then nothing. Reaching her prone body he crouched down, rolling her to her back and gently brushing her hair out of her face. “Belle?” He didn’t get a response, so he started to assess her condition. She had been crying, he brushed the tears from her face, his hand lingering on her skin, she was so soft and delicate - had someone else done something to his girl? or was it just hold over from the earlier events? He could see that there was a bruise on her forehead, it looked like she had managed to knock herself out. He could guess that her ankle was at best strained, at worst broken, and her wrist obviously bothered her.

“My poor girl” He moved her bag onto her stomach and then slipped one arm under her shoulders and the other under her knees before standing with her held close to him, She felt like a feather to him, she was too light for his liking but he could help her look after herself better, Taking a second to shift her in his arms he moved her so that her head rolled onto his chest. Dropping his head he pressed his face into her hair taking a deep breath, While he could still smell the scents from the club her own scent was still there. Drawing in a second deep breath he allowed her scent to surround him and sooth him. He The sound of a car in the distance brought his attention back to the here and now. If someone was to see him here then they would be asking questions he didn’t want to deal with He hadn’t been ready to meet her, but it seemed that fate had taken a hand and moved things forward. He checked the area, made note of the street name and the cameras there before heading back into the shadows with Belle held close to his body. 

The first thing that Belle noticed was that she was warm. Warmer than she would have been if she was lying in the street, warmer than if she was in her apartment, where the heating wasn’t working properly again. The urge to just curl up and sleep was strong, Her head, wrist and legs hurt, and she was fairly sure that opening her eyes wouldn’t make her feel any better. Sleep pulled at her find, becoming her to come in, but her bladder was starting to make itself known and it didn’t feel like it would take no for an answer.

Slowly she opened one eye preparing for the pain that would come when the light hit. The pain didn’t come, so she opened both eyes and took a second to process what she was seeing. She was in a nice room, it was very classical. there were traditional wooden features and furniture, and the room was lit with a warm yellow light that didn’t make her eyes hurt. This didn’t seem like any kind of hospital that she had ever been to. When she tried to turn her head, the pain was there though and she couldn’t help but groan. The sound of water running preceded what sounded like a door opening from the other side of the room. Slowly she turned towards the noise, grimacing as she did. In the doorway, partially in shadow was a man, and not one that she recognised. 

“H.. He…” she coughed grimacing as her head pounded. Her throat was dry and scratchy “Hello” The figure moved and as they stepped into the light she knew for sure that they weren’t someone that she knew. He was tall, very broad shouldered, with what looked like darker hair and a full beard. He headed over to her bed, a soft smile on his face

“Belle” his hand reached out to her, gently touching her forehead before stroking down the side of her face, until his fingers curled slightly under her jaw in what felt like a very intimate gesture, She couldn’t keep eye contact with him while he touched her like that, it seemed inappropriate some how. His fingers applied a small amount of pressure encouraging her to raise her eyes. “I am happy to see you awake at last, I was worried about you.”

Belle tried to smile but she was sure it came out strained at best “I, I’m not sure where I am and, I’m sorry but I don’t” she pulled in a breath “I don’t remember you”

“Of course you don’t doll. You’ve had a hard night. We can talk more about where we are when you’re feeling up to it, but what you need to know is that you’re safe, no one can hurt you here. Now can I get you anything ? Some water perhaps?”

She couldn’t take it all in, safe? Had someone been trying to hurt her? That presence that she had felt, had it been more than her imagination? Focusing seemed beyond her and she couldn’t get her thoughts in order

“Belle? Did you hear me”

The strange mans voice focused her a little “ Yes, Sorry it’s all just a bit ….. well strange. Water would be good but ummm….”

“Yes” he smiled at her in an encouraging way 

“I um..” she felt her face redden “I need to um, use the bathroom” God she felt like a three year old having to ask for help. 

“Of course. how inconsiderate of me. Let me help you, your ankle isn’t in the best shape” He was already moving as he spoke, pulling back the covers. She found she was in her vest top, bra and underwear but nothing else, Her blush just reddened as she took in her state of undress in front of this strange man. Before she could say anything he had picked her up in his arms holding her close and was heading across the room. She wasn’t sure but it sounded like he sniffed her. The bathroom lights made her wince and turn her face into his chest.

“Close your eyes” his voice was soft and soothing in her ear, and without question she did as he asked. The light was gone and then he moved into the room, there was some jostling and then she was set down on what felt like a toilet “Give me a second” She could hear him walking away and going through a draw, then a scratching hiss. “Ok you can open your eyes now ‘

When she opened her eyes there was a soft warm light coming from a large pillar candle that had been lit. 

“Thank you” she looked over before she dropped her eyes “I think I can probably manage this bit” 

“Oh, of course” he seemed a little caught out “I’ll be in the other room, when you’re ready”

When the door was closed Belle took a second to pull in a deep breath and try and get her mind clear. Everything was so confusing. How had this man found her and who was he ? She wasn’t going to get answers sitting here uncomfortable. The relief she felt on being able to control her bodily functions was something. As she washed up she looked over herself taking in a bruise on her head and how pale her face was. She dropped her eyes, what a mess. and more than that she was saved by someone she didn’t even know, sure he seemed like a nice guy. He had brought her to his home, or so she figured, and made sure that she was warm and tended to, but it was more than a little odd that he hadn’t just called for an ambulance and waited with her until they came. The more she thought about it the more she felt uncomfortable and that feeling of panic from earlier started to come back. There had to be a rational explanation as to his behaviour didn’t there? Maybe he didn’t have a phone, or maybe he had seen someone trying to hurt her? Belle’s breath was starting to come out in gasping pants and her hand shook as she raised it to her head, rubbing at her temple where her headache was starting to demand her attention. Pulling her head back up she could see her eyes wide and panicked looking back at her from the mirror, she frankly looked a mess. 

A soft knock on the door brought her attention back to the room, but getting her breathing under control seemed beyond her. Her heart pounded and a matching pain drummed in her head. Her mouth started to water and she felt like she was going to vomit, or pass out.

The door creaked open and her eyes met the blue of the stranger, the welling feeling of nausea had Belle closing her eyes, she could feel the sweat breaking out on her forehead. She wanted to speak, to ask for yet more help, but she couldn’t get the words to form, she couldn’t get her breath to be under her control, her heart was pounding and she could see speckles around the edge of her vision. 

“Easy there” a warm hand on her cheek gave her something to focus on “It looks like you moved a little too fast, let's get you back to bed” The strangers hands were warm and firm as they wrapped around her shoulders, they were, in some ways, comforting. He scooped her up and started to ferry her back across the room. The motion, no matter how gentle he was made her stomach roil and Belle swallowed convulsively to try and keep her stomach contents down. She didn’t even attempt to open her eyes until she felt the cool of the bed sheets against her back. 

“Can you try and take a drink for me Belle? If you can keep it down then I can give you something for your head”

Belle peeled one eye open and met the surprisingly blue gaze of her rescuer. How did he know her name?

“I don’t know” Her voice was weak even to her own ears and she hated that. She wanted to ask him the questions that kept coming to her but holding onto them for more than two minutes seemed like too much work. She felt the puff of air on her face as he sat back. He clearly wasn’t happy with her answer but right now it was the best she could do. She watched as one of his large hands pinched at his nose and his eyes focused on her in a way that made her uncomfortable 

“I understand that you aren’t feeling well but you need to rest and that won’t happen if we can’t get pain killers into you” 

He reached into his pocket before holding his hand out to her. In the palm of his hand rested two small pale nondescript tablets.

“Now be a good girl and take these and rest. We can talk about everything else tomorrow” His tone of voice was no nonsense and as much as it would be easier to take them she wasn’t in the habit of taking unknown medication from a stranger

“Um..” her voice cracked and she tried to swallow “What are they?” When she had started to speak he had looked annoyed and raised a single eyebrow, obviously unhappy at being questioned. As she finished her question a brief smile flashed over his face

“I am glad you are aware enough to check but these are absolutely safe for you take. They’re just some standard pain killers for your head” 

Before Belle could respond he reached out for her hand, and when he saw it tremble he gently placed it back down and help his hand up to her mouth. She could tell that he had washed his hands recently, they smelt fresh and clean.

“Open up” His hand pushed against her mouth and held it there until she opened her mouth enough for him to shake the tablets in. He leant a little closer, he seemed to loom over her. His eyes didn’t leave hers and for a moment she was sure that he was about to kiss her. Her breath caught in her chest and she glanced briefly between his eyes and lips. Even through her brain haze she was aware that this was a handsome man and he was very much in her space. The smile on his face let her know that she hadn’t been subtle in her admiration. As her blush flushed her face her head pounded even harder and she let her eyes fluttered closed. 

“Open up and take a sip of water doll” His voice was closer than he had been seconds before, but she was in no condition to work out what was happening. The water was cool and soothing as she swallowed and the warm hand that stroked her head seemed to help her relax further. She tried to open her eyes but they just would comply. There was a brush of what felt like lips o her head and that was the last thing she knew.

Steve closed the bedroom door quietly after getting Belle settled down in his bed. She was here with him, in his room, in his bed! He wad desperate to go and lie with her, but he had other things that needed to be dealt with first. The incident tonight had pushed his timetable up and now he needed to play catch up. In his office he flicked on one of the 3 monitors sitting on his desk seeing his girl laying in his bed. He watched her for a few more minutes, She was at peace, where she was supposed to be.

Three hours passed before Steve was even close to being able to go to bed. Despite it being the middle of the night he had managed to set a lot of wheels in motion to get things sorted for his girl. Slipping into his bed with his girl, pulling her soft, warm, beautifully smelling body into his own was a dream com true. His dick was hard in seconds and he couldn’t help but buck into her a little. She smelt so good that he had to fight himself for control. His hips moved without thought, his dick throbbing against her ass, She was injured and needed time to recover before things could go that far, so he had to stop, no matter how much he wanted to do more. Tightening his grip he let his eyes drift close. This was right.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic. If you don’t like that then please don’t read this. It is intended for 18+ readers only 
> 
> This was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby Vee

When Belle’s eyes fluttered open it took her a few minutes to work out where she was and what was happening. The ache in her head, arm and lower leg brought the events of the night before back to her. The asshole in the bar, her slip and then coming round in a strangers house. It wasn’t easy to push herself up in the bed with only one fully functioning arm but she wasn’t sure that her head would let her get up and move about safely on her own.Her caution seemed justified when as soon as she was fully upright her head started to pound in a way that made her groan. 

Taking a couple of hopefully cleansing breaths she ran through what she could remember from last night and her brief meeting with the stranger. He hd known her name, he was strong and he hadn’t taken her to a hospital, or mentioned that he had taken her to see a medical professional. Maybe he was a medical professional. She felt heat in her face as she remembered eyeing him up when he went to give her medication. That was more than a little embarrassing and she wasn’t sure how he would react to her this morning. What if he had a wife or girlfriend . Oh god she felt even worse when she thought of that. Here he was helping her out and she was busy thinking of his like a piece of meat!  
The soft swish of the door had Belle raising her head and feeling a littler nervous about what kind of reaction she would get.

She watched as the man smiled gently t her, his arms were warm and luckily there was no sign of discomfort, hopefully he had written off her behaviour from last night, She did have to admit that in the light of day he was a stunningly attractive man, The blue eyes she remembered but the beard and longer hair were fuzzy in her mind and she definitely hadn’t remembered those arms and chest. Perhaps it was his clothes that emphasised it, his t-shirt stretched over his broad chest and strained around his biceps. 

“Good morning Belle. I hope your feeling a little better this morning”

“Hi, um yeah. Well I mean I hurt all over but I think the sleep helped” Belle tried her best to not stare. 

“I’m sure, you slept like a baby and didn’t move. I’ve pulled together some breakfast and hoped you would be well enough to join me in the kitchen” he looked hopeful. His voice was rich and warm and seemed very soothing to her.

“Um yeah I could eat. I’m….well I don’t want to seem rude but I was wondering where I am. I mean I’m grateful that you looked out for me and all but I’m kind of missing things and “  
As soon as she started to ask him questions his smile started to fall “Of course you do. Let’s get some food in you first and i’ll see if I can fill in the blanks for you” 

He was obviously annoyed at her questioning him, but she didn’t eellike she could just sit there and not ask what was happening . Lost on her own head she was surprised when he pulled the bed covers back, exposing her to bare legs. 

“Oh um” Belle was shocked and on impulse reached out to try and re-cover her body but they had been pulled out of her reach.

“Why don’t we see how that ankle is holding up” The strange mans eyes were on her body and she couldn’t help but wonder through her embarrassment did he like what what he saw? Glancing up to look into his eyes, she thought she saw some heat, he certainly wasn’t looking away. When he made eye contact she couldn’t help but drop her own gaze, feeling very exposed. She missed the broad smile that her action elicited

“Would you like some help?” His voice was back to being smooth and rich and Belle chanced a glance ta him. The annoyance that she was sure she hd seen just moments before was gone, and the pleasant smile was back.

“No - thank you. I’m sure i’ll be fine” It took her couple of attempts to get over to the side of the mattress and swing her legs down. Taking mental inventory she was fairly sure that working her shift at the coffee shop would be out unless she could find a way to be able to use both hands. As to stood just now her right wrist wouldn’t take her body weight and she was sure that trying to hold cups all day wouldn’t help. 

“Ha!” Belle gave a small crow of victory as she was able to stand unaided at the side of the bed. She had been worried that her ankle. which admittedly throbbed., would not be able to hold her up, but here she was standing. The feeling of victory was short lived as she went to take her first real step. The minute she transferred her weight, she felt her ankle buckle and she would have landed in a heap had it not been for the man in front of her who grasped her by her elbow and held her up 

“Hmm looks like you’re not quite up to making it on your own. Let me give you a hand”. The next thing she knew Belle was airborne and in this mans arms again. 

“Let’s drop you off at the bathroom, then i”ll get you through for breakfast” He was moving before she could respond, and she was deposited gently in the bathroom. As he went to close the door he turned back “Don’t take too long. I don’t want breakfast to get cold” The tone that he used left Belle with non doubt that if she took too long he would be back in so she hurried through a quick clean up routine, taking a moment to look more closely at the bruising ion her face.; She took a moment to try and adjust her top to cover more of her, but it was a loosing battle

Hopping over to the door when she was finished, she found that she was already feeling tired. Opening the door a little, she peeked out to see they mystery man sitting on the edge of the bed, ankles crossed gaze firmly on the door

“All good Doll?” He asked raising an eyebrow.

“Yeah, un I was wondering do you know where my clothes are so I could dress a little more before we eat?”

“Ah, i’m afraid I had to put them in wash. they were kind of a mess when I found you lsat night. They should be done shortly though” He stood moving purposefully towards her “ Now lets get some food into you”

Belle found herself scooped up again and then they were off through the house. From what she could see the house was nicely decorated in an understated but classic way. It was so much nicer than her small apartment. 

The kitchen was bright and clean with white counter tops and dark cabinets and sitting on a central island were two plates with eggs, avocado and toast. She was set down on one of the high backed stools and a napkin was put in her lap in short order. 

“Eat up before it gets cold” Her rescuer took his won seat and began to tuck in. Belle picked up her fork and took a little of the egg, enjoying the rich taste in her mouth. It was amazing to be able to have such a rich treat for breakfast and she tried her best to savour it . Food like this wasn’t something that she could afford on her budget.

The gentle tap of a glass being placed down, drew her attention to her companion

“You must have some questions, and I realise that I’ve not introduced myself. I’m Steve and it’s nice to meet you Belle”

Belle nodded putting her fork down and struggled to swallow down her mouthful 

“It’s nice to meet you Steve. I need to say thank you - for helping me and looking after me last night Im kind of lost right now, I don’t know what happened, I remember that I thought someone followed me, but there isn’t anything after that and while Im grateful for what you did, I was expecting to be in a hospital”

Steve nodded in her direction “Well I can’t say for sure what happened to you, There have been some incidents in the city, it’s why I was out. Young women have been attacked and taken. It’s not been in the press, but it’s definitely been a problem” He paused to take another drink from his glass “ As for why here, well I was on my way home and, well truth be known I don’t much like hospitals so I brought you here, It seemed safer”

Belle found it odd that he was out because someone had been hurting women in the city. 

“Are you a cop? Is that why you were out looking for who ever has been attacking women”

He looked surprised at her question “No. I’m not a law officer, I do like to look out for people. My friends and I think of it as being our job” He seemed to find the whole thing amusing when he mentioned his friends especially “Try not seeing the beard”

She scowled trying to imagine the handsome face without a beard. It took her a moment or two before it clicked “Holy Shit! you’re Steve Rogers”

“Mmm Hmm” he smiled as he chewed on a bite of toast raising his eyebrows a little.

“Wow, i mean thank you.” Belle was lost for words. At no point had she even considered that one of the Avengers would come to her aid. They had disappeared more or less inn the past few years, she supposed staying under the radar.

Steve smiled at her and she felt her blush rising again “So based on the fact that you can’t get around much on your own I guess you’re going to need to call into the shop and let someone know. Even if your arm “He gestured with his toast at her bruised arm “would holdup to the work, you can’t get around on that ankle”

“Mmm well, un yeah I guess. I had hoped to go into work today, I don’t want to let them down and well. to be frank I don’t want to loose the pay check either” She found it hard to meet his gaze again. Here she was complaining about her job because her ankle was messed up to a man who spent his days saving the world.

“I, I know that it seems silly, to complain, when things would have turned out so much worse were it not for you, but….” she paused trying to think of how to clearly explain 

“It’s not silly, you take pride in your work, you are kind and polite to your customers and take pride in your work. The fact you are worried about missing a shift speaks well of you Doll. How about the club were you scheduled to work there tonight?” Belle nodded “Well then how about we see if a call from Captain America will help with them giving you a little leeway”

“Oh I couldn’t ask you to..” Her eyes shot up then. all embarrassment forgotten as he made the offer

“You didn’t ask, I offered. Now” He stood taking his plate over to the sink. I will make the calls, after we have you settled back in bed and you’ve taken some pain killers. You should finish your breakfast” He turned to the sink and began to clean up as Belle managed to eat a little more of the food set out for her. Her brain seemed to have gotten over the fact that she was in a house with an Avenger, the first Avenger at that! and now she had even more questions.

“Um, Do you have a phone so I can make the calls?” Steve didn’t turn around as he answered 

“There is no need for that - I have the numbers, and I think that a call direct from me may have better effect. There has to be some use for my infamy after al” He turned back around drying his hands on a tea towel and looked down at her plate “Was breakfast not to your liking?” He seemed upset at how little she had managed to eat 

“Oh no it was delicious, Really” she gave him a small smile “It’s just I still feel out of sorts”

Steve touched her forehead his scowl depending “ Well you don’t have a fever, but we should get you to bed. He turned away heading to one of the cupboards and pulled out a medication bottle, shaking out two tablets. Coming back over he held the tablets up to her mouth. When Belle reached to take them from him he moved her hand gently to the side and held his hand closer to her mouth, raising a single eyebrow. 

Leaning forwards slightly Belle used her lips to gently pull the tablets into her mouth. She felt a bit foolish but he showed no sign of letting go of her wrist. Reaching across his own body he picked up her glass and held it to her lips until she opened her lips to take a sip. Her compliance made him happy based on his smile, but Belle couldn’t deny that it made her uncomfortable and she was sure that the smile she returned showed it.

“OK let’s get you to bed” Steve scooped her upend Belle found herself wrapper her arms around his muscular neck. She couldn’t help but realise just how nice he smelled. He was clean and seemed to wear some light cologne even though he obviously hadn’t shaved.

She was settled in the bed quickly and relatively painlessly with the covers pulled up and the pillows propping her up. 

“Now then I’m afraid I don’t have a TV in this room but I have some books if you’d like to read”  
“I don’t want to put you out any further, rally. Um a book would be nice, what ever you have” She was sure that what ever books he brought her they would not be her usual pick, but sitting around doing nothing want something that she felt comfortable with. When he came back in Steve had a couple of books in his hands 

“I wasn’t sure what you would like but I have the Lord of the Rings” 

Belle couldn’t help bit smile. She had beat up spies of the books in her own apartment and had read them from cover to cover on multiple occasions “They would be perfect thank you”

The books Steve handed over were beautiful hardback editions and she ran her hands over the leather embossed covers. They were beautiful and she was excited to be able to read from such beautiful books.

“Excellent, well you settle down and I’ll be back to check on you in a little while after I’ve made those calls”

His hand squeezed her knee before he turned to leave the room. Belle smiled and as the door was pulled over she settled down to read.


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic. If you don’t like that then please don’t read this. It is intended for 18+ readers only 
> 
> This was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby Vee

Steve headed straight to his office smile firmly in place. Just as he had planned she had been thrown off when he let her know that he was an Avenger, it put her on the back foot and she hadn’t thought ti question that he knew where she was working, and when, or that he had prepared her favourite foods.

Waking up this morning had been bliss. He had been wrapped around her with her warm clean smell in his nose, and her soft panty clad ass pressed against his rock had dick. He had enjoyed the simple warmth and pleasure of having her close for a few moments before he had checked the time. It was still early, the sun duets rise shortly which meant Belle should sleep for a little longer kept under by the pain killers he had given hearth night before. He ran his hand from her stomach to her waste, feeling her deep breaths. He let his hand trail down to the bottom of her panties, taking a second to ping the elastic before reversing direction and moving back over the swell of her hip, down to the dip of her waist and then back up her ribcage. He pressed his dick into her ass more firmly, groaning deep in his throat at the sensation. The smell and having her close was so much better than he could have imagined, even when he had laid in her bed. Sliding his hand around to the front of her body he skimmed his hand up to her breasts, covered by her tank top it wasn’t the sensation he craved but he still found himself pressing his dick into her rhythmically as he squeezed her breath and tweaked her nipples as they reached to his touch. He pulled slightly on her top edging the neck down enough that he could slip his hand in at the neck and then under the cup of her bra. The feel of skin on skin had him pressing against her harder, his breath coming in pants. He knew that he couldn’t come on her, not yet but damn she felt so good. His balls tightened and he forced himself to roll back his hand sliding out from inside her top before thrusting into his boxers and grabbing hold go his hard cock. He smoothed the pre come around before pulling and twisting, his his hips positioning up, grunts coming from his throat. It didn’t take long for him to come all over his stomach, his heat pounding in his chest. It took him a moment to gather his bearings before taking is fingers and running them through his own release and turning back to the sleeping woman net to him. Using his clean hand he moved the covers back and looked over her back. His hand went to her panties and pulled them away from her ass. The looked down at her ass cheeks and licked his lips. He couldn’t wait to see her uncovered for him but that was not for now, he had other things to sort first, but for now he needed to mark her. Taking his come covered fingers he wiped them across her ass cheeks, on finder sliding just into her ass crack, marking her with himself. He reset her underwear, and pulled the covers back over her Leaning in close he kissed just below her ear “Welcome home Belle”

Sitting at his desk he rested back in his chair day dreaming about being between her thighs, pressing his cock into her sweet pussy as she moaned underneath him, eyes half closed in rapture. His hand was back on his cock, squeezing himself through his pants. The soft noise of an incoming mail brought him back to the here and now. Grumbling under his breath he woke the monitor and checked his mail. He had a mail from Bucky with the photos he had asked for and confirmation that Bucky would help him out and would stop around later in the day. He had also made sure to get access to Belle’s mail. She had replies from both he owner of the coffee shop and the club. The shop owner was disappointed that she had resigned and annoyed that she hadn’t given notice, they would penalise her pay check but they were glad that she had a better offer elsewhere. 

The club owner had been apologetic about last night, had encouraged her to take a few days and then let them know. They would pay her half of the pay checks that she would have gotten. He replied to both stating that she was grateful for the offer and would let them know, but sh evident see her position changing. 

He turned to the second monitor and clicked the switch, it flickered before bringing up the image of Belle, asleep in the bed book fallen from her hands and head resting back. The meds he gave her had knocked her out and would leave her feeling out of sorts and dependent on him. Now he had calls to make and plans to set in motion. Picking up his phone he hit call and waited for for his friend to pick up 

“Morning Buck, yeah …..no gather haven’t been any problems so far, Yeah lets go ahead with the next phase….. Sure, what ever you think will work best. Thanks man I appreciate it” Hanging up he felt a sense of comfort and completeness. Things were coming together better than he had hoped.

Running his hand under the lip of the desk he felt for the small depression and gently ran his finger over it, allowing the electronic reader to scan his finger and unlock the smaller bottom drawer. Pulling it open he looked down at his treasures. The scarf, t-shirt and panties that he had taken from her apartment and work, her beat up copy of the Lord of the Rings and various other bits and pieces that he had picked up that she had seemed to like. He picked up a pair of black panties, they weren’t anything special but they were simple and basic but seemed just right for his girl. He was sure that she would look beyond stunning in fancy lingerie but there was something about a woman that could look stunning in something simple and that was his girl. He ran the panties over his cheek and inhaled. Her smell was wearing off but now she was here and he would be able to be close with her when ever he wanted. 

Slipping everything back into the draw he pushed it closed, listening for the click of the lock before turning back to the computers and pulling up one of his folders. Clicking on the first file he sat up and watched as the video start and his girl appeared, tidying things up in her apartment and folding laundry, and a smile spread over his face.

He knew that he needed to wake Belle up, letting her wake up alone would give her time to overthink things and come up with more questions. She was a smart girl and she would put things together quickly if he gave her the chance. She was still sound asleep when he made his way through to his room, and he had to take a minute to stop by the bed and press his lips softly against hers. She was warm and soft and everything that he wanted. Pulling himself from her he headed to the bathroom, plugging the bath and setting it to fill before lighting candles. He waited until the bath looked ready before heading back into the room and sitting on the bed. Reaching out he took Belle’s shoulder and gently shook it, until he saw her eyes start to open.

“Hey Doll, looks like you needed a rest, it’s time to get up or you won’t sleep tonight”

“Steve?” her voice was adorably croaky and confused as she fought against the medication that was leaving her system. 

‘Yeah Doll. It looks like you’ve had a good sleep. I ran you a bath, I figured you would want to clean up, and the hot water will be good for your ankle and wrist”

She was obviously confused and kept blinking at him for a moment as she processed what he was telling her. He gave her a moment before scooping her up and carrying her to the steam filled bathroom. Setting her on the toilet He stepped back and rested his hips against the sink vanity.   
“Will you be ok to get into the bath yourself, or do you need some help?” He had to admit that the idea of helping her appealed more than a little, but he was sure that he probably wouldn’t keep hi shames to himself.

“Um yeah I will fine now, thank you again” She gave a wry sounding laugh “God you must be so sick of hearing that” Her eyes were back looking at her feet. Steeping forward Steve reached out and titled her chin up so he could see her face

“Now Doll like I said, I’m happy to help and to look out for you. You should be safe and cared for. Now why don’t you get cleaned up - I'll leave you something to change into by the door. Just hiller when you’re done and i’ll help you through to get food” he held her gaze for another few moments before leaving her to it, pulling the door over but not closing it fully. Checking his phone he saw that Bucky had confirmed that things had gone as planned.

Belle enjoyed the bath very much. She felt so much better to be clean and dressed, even if it was in someone else clothes. She needed to ask foe hers back and see if she could get back to her apartment. It was fine that Steve had wanted to help her out but now she was taking advantage of him. When she got home she would need to write him thank you note and see if she could get enough cash together to send a small gift.

The shirt he had left her was a button up and hung to mid though and the boxers covered her lower body well with a soft stretchy material. She had kept on her bra, for decencies sake. Her ankle still throbbed and she had seen the bruising on it was getting worse, as was the swelling. While the water had helped it was going to be tricky getting up the stairs to her apartment, but perhaps she could hop. or maybe she could ask the Avenger for a little more help.

Holding her dirty clothes underwear arm she hoped to the bathroom door and slowly opened it. Her head was still fizzy, despite the long sleep, perhaps she had a concussion, she would need to look online and see what the symptoms were. She knew that she need to call for Steve, but she also felt a bit of a baby to have to shout for help. Perhaps she could make it to the main door first, it would be good practice for when she had to make it up the stairs when she got home.

It took a little working out but she eventually came up with a shuffle hop motion that let her get from the door, to the dresser, then the bed. There was already sweat beading on her head and she took moment to rest sitting on the bed. She was a fit woman and she didn’t really understand why things felt so hard. It was like she isa moving through syrup. 

Using her dirty clothes she wiped off the sweat and pulled herself back to her good leg to make her way to the door, and then call for help. She was about to take her first hop/shuffle when the door opened and Steve walked in.

“Steve, I was going to call you when I got to the door” She didn’t know why she had the need to explain herself, she hadn’t done anything wrong, but here she was saying sorry for nothing.

“You won’t get any better if you don’t let people help you” he definitely sounded annoyed and a look at his face showed a deep scowl “I understand that you are used to being independent, but when people are looking out for you and want to help, you should take advantage”

Belle felt dreadful “I, I’m sorry Steve. The thing is I’m not used to people wanting to help me and I felt bad. You have done so much and all I’ve managed to do is sleep” Belle could feel tears welling in her eyes “The thing is, I know that I need to be able to look after myself when I get home, and I’ve been trying so hard and even getting over here feels like Ive run a marathon” The tears started to fall and she sank back down to the bed :How am I supposed to make money and manage when I can’t even walk across a room?” Her tears turned in full on sobs that Belle just didn’t feel able to control. The mattress next to her dipped and a warm arm came around her shoulders.

“Come on now Doll. Of course you are finding things hard, you’ve been through something that anyone would find difficult, but you are here now and you are safe. I want to help you and to look after you. You work too hard and put too much pressure on yourself. Let me look after you. If it makes you feel any better about it then think of it as being an insult to me if you refuse my help”

Belle sobbed and rested against Steve’s chest “I’m sorry, I just, it’s all been too much and…” her words tailed off.

“You’ve pushed yourself too hard. Now I will take these” Steve pulled away the ball of dirty clothes. “They need washed and you need dinner” He strode over to the hamper and dropped them in “You didn’t include your bra? It must need washed too” He held out his hand expectedly and raised an eyebrow. Belle just looked at him 

“Well hand it over” 

Belle just stared for a moment before realizing what she would need fo do “ Oh no” Belle stiffed, her nose running “It’s fine I’ll keep it on”

“Don’t be so silly, You’re fully covered with the shirt, now hand over the bra and we will get it cleaned up” 

With shaking hands Belle slid her ams inside the shirt and pulled off her bra - handing it over

“Ok lets get you down to dinner”


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic. If you don’t like that then please don’t read this. It is intended for 18+ readers only
> 
> This was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby Vee

Dinner was a surprisingly tasty home cooked meal of fish with salad and bread. It was the first meal that she really enjoyed in a long time. They had mostly sat in silence and enjoyed the food, Belle enjoyed having someone to eat with for a change. Most of her means were brief and lonely. As she put down her fork after eating her last bite Steve seemed to take it as a signal that now was a good time to talk

“So I spoke to the managers of the coffee shop and bar, They were both really sorry to hear about what had happened” Belle felt her heart start to beat faster 

“Were they pissed that I didn’t call myself?”

“No they understood when I explained that you had a head injury” Belle smiled. she was so relieved that they weren’t pissed at her She needed the work to pay the bills. 

“I’m afraid that it wasn’t all good new though - the bar said they would try and keep your position open, but the coffee shop said that they won’t be able to hold your space. I’m sorry. I even asked if they would have light duties you could do so that you would be kept off your feet, but” he shrugged “they didn’t seem able to compromise” His hand wrapped around hers on the table and gave a light squeeze “I am sorry Belle, I know this isn’t what you wanted “

Belle felt the tears well and fall, how was she supposed to pay her bills and rent with only one job? Hell it wasn’t like she could even guarantee that the bar work would still be available when she could walk around. 

“Hey come on now, don’t cry so hard it’ll all work out” Belle found herself being folded into a warm embrace against a firm chest, and, for a moment she let the tears fall and she took the comfort that was offered.

“I’m sorry. Ive made your shirt all wet” She pulled away from Steve who seemed reluctant to let her go. He helped her sit up before passing her the napkin the he had put out for dinner. 

“Don’t worry about it Doll, it’s been an all round trying couple of days for you. Now I’ve got some apple pie and ice cream and then we can sort out what’s next”

Belle sniffed but gave him a small smile and nodded, though her mind was running through what she could cut back on and working out how soon she could be back on her feet.

Steve watched Belle as he dished out the desert, his girl was a smart one and he knew that she would be looking for ways to turn things back the way she needed them. A small part of him felt bad about what he had said to her, but it wasn’t safe for a girl like her to be out on her own, There was no way that he could look out for her and keep her safe when he couldn’t say where should would be and who she would be dealing with. 

He gently put her desert on the counter in front of her and squeezed her shoulder to get her attention 

“It’s best while it’s still warm” He drew her attention to the plate he had put down before sitting across from her again   
“I know you must have a lot of concerns, surely a bright young woman can get another job. I don’t think that the coffee shop was using your skills as well as they could have “

He watched her closely to see if she would pick up on what he was telling her, It would be a good gauge as to how he would progress 

“I can only hope. The job market well it’s not the best, There have been a lot of business that have closed down and not everywhere is offering the hours I would need. The club is good work but my pay and tips from that won’t cover everything.” Belle sighed “ I know it must seem silly to you - me being concerned about a job in a coffee shop, I mean it’s not saving the world, I know, but sometimes I think that I made a difference to some people you know? Sometimes a kind word and a smile can help someone get through the day. It’s good honest work”

Steve smiled - there she was thinking about others again “Oh no - I didn’t mean it wasn’t good work A kind smile and words can make even the worst day seem better. It just seems to me that you have other skills that could be better used”

He watched the blush rise up, his cock responded in kind 

“It’s not my end game, the coffee shop, the bar, all of it is how I get through day to day, I’m hoping one day that I can be a teacher. I think that having the chance to help young people find their way, to help them learn and grown and become good people - that’s where I want to be. It’s just taking a little time you know ?”

Steve hummed around the mouthful of desert before gesturing to her plate to encourage her to eat 

“Teaching is a fine line of work - I am sure you would excel at it” He watched as she tried the desert “ I put a couple of other calls in today, to see if I could find out anything more about the man that attacked you. I know that you must be keen to get home but I’m pretty sure I would be a dim failure if I didn’t make sure you were safe”

He watched Belle pause, spoon half way to her mouth “I’m sure it was just a coincidence - you know I really don’t think it was anything more, but I do appreciate you looking out for me. It has meant more than you could know”

Steve had expected her response, his girl was so used to being independent, he just needed to show her that she needed him.

“Well let’s see what my friend managed to find out. then we can plan from there ok?” Belle nodded and he smiled back as she ate more pie. 

Dishes had been washed and Belle was sitting in a surprisingly modern looking comfortable living room, foot elevated on an ottoman, drinking tea and listening to some soft jazz Steve had put on. Her book sat next to her, largely untouched as she let the music flow over her. Steve had set her up the the room and furnished her with tea before excusing himself to finish some outstanding work, and while Belle had every intention of reading, the soothing tea and the music had her feeling like she was floating. 

She could hear Steve moving about, Was he done for the day? and then she thought she heard other voices but figured it had to of been her imagination, after all she hadn’t heard the door.

Steve ushered Bucky into his office, closing he door quietly behind them 

“Is it done?”

“Yep” Bucky nodded “Just like we talked about, I added a few touches of my own” he gave Steve a knowing smile “I also brought you some more of this” he handed over some powder “Use it sparingly though, like we talked about” Steve nodded slipping the bag into his pocket before opening one of the desk draws and pulling out the t-shirt he had taken from Belle and throwing it over

“You know I really appreciate this Buck. I don’t think I could have pulled this off without you”Bucky laughed “Sure you could Punk. It’s just a bit smoother with me involved.” 

Steve laughed and gestured to the door but Bucky stopped him with a hand on his shoulder “Listen Stevie - you know i’d do anything for you, you’re a brother to me and i’ll look out for you - just like I always did. If she is what you want - then I’m all in, but you’ve got to play it by the book this time” 

Looking into his best friends eyes Steve’s smile dropped “I know I messed up before Buck, but she’s it. You know I’ve done my homework. This is what I want and what I need” 

“We’re gonna need to tread carefully - it’s not like before, if things go sideways then it won’t be easy to hide. Not like before”

“I’ve covered all the bases Buck!”

The simple nod from Bucky was all that was needed for things to be settled.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: This story definitely has some Dubcon possibly some NonCon and features a Dark!Steve as well as a shady!Bucky in places. This is NOT a happy here he come to save the day fic. If you don’t like that then please don’t read this. It is intended for 18+ readers only
> 
> This was started as a part of the Challenge hosted by Kellyn1604 over on Tumblr. The starting point was the song The night has a thousand eyes by Bobby Vee

“Hey Doll, we’ve got a guest” Belle was pulled from her blissful state as Steve called out to her. She wasn’t so much tired as just really relaxed. The music has been gentle and she had just let swell over her and she floated. It wasn’t much like her and she was starting to worry that the blow to the head had caused more damage than they had thought, she would need to ask Steve. Sitting more upright she ran her hands over her hair to smooth it down and then over her face, she had barely pulled herself together when the living room door was opened and Steve came in chatting with another man. 

Taking a second Belle looked over the new comer, he was tall, though shorter than Steve, and where Steve was light this man was dark and quite frankly a little foreboding. She cast a quick glance to Steve - he seemed more than happy for her to meet this man, surely he wouldn’t introduce her to someone who would mean her harm.

“…and here is the lady of the moment. Steve turned to gesture to Belle. “Belle - I want you to meet a very old friend of mine - James, Buck this is the young lady I was telling you about”

Belle went to stand but this new man - James gestured for her to sit “Hey now don’t get up on my account, from what Stevie here tells me that ankle of yours needs all the rest it can get” He held out his hand and offered her a smile “Like the punk said I’m James Barnes, most folks just call me Bucky though”

His smile softened his face a great deal and Belle couldn’t help but return it with a small smile of her own “Well it’s very nice to meet you James”

“You too, I wish it was under better circumstances, but things are what they are - it was a good job that Stevie here was out and about and found you”

Belle nodded unsure of what to make of this man. “Lets give Stevie two minutes to come back with some coffee and then i’ll let you know what I’ve found “

“Found?” Belle was confused 

“Mmhmm. I hope Stevie has been looking after you ok, and has let you get plenty of rest”  
Belle had the feeling that this friend of Steves was trying to poke fun at him and it rilled her up. Steve had been wonderful and she wouldn’t hear anyone speak against him 

“He’s been amazing actually He has done more for me than I can ever repay him for”

“I don’t doubt it - Steve is a good man - sometimes too good …”

Belle found herself bristling at what Bucky was implying “Let me assure you Mr Barnes. I am not looking to take advantage of Steve. I am very grateful for all he has done for me and I’m not planning to impose on him for much longer” Her head pounded in time with her annoyance. Belle couldn’t believe what she was being accused of! Did this man think she had faked her injuries?

The stand off was broken when Steve came in with a tray of coffee mugs and looked between the two sensing the obvious tension 

“Everything ok here?”

“Sure Belle and I were chatting - I think i’ve upset her though. You’ll have to forgive me Belle - you see i’ve been looking out for Steve for a long time and some habits are hard to break”

Belle gave Bucky a tight smile “Of course. I completely understand” but she wasn’t likely to actually forgive him any time soon.

“Belle I asked Bucky to look into what happened to you - see if he could find out any information. Buck …”

“Well I had a dig around, there wasn’t much to find on the camera footage of where you had your accident Belle - things are too shadowed, it looked like there was a figure there but I wasn’t able to get a clear shot. I spoke to the folks at the bar you work at - they said there was a problem with a customer”

Belle nodded “Yeah just the usual though - he was rude and handsy but I’m fairly sure all he did was go home and sleep it off”

Bucky nodded and Steve scowled “ I managed to get some footage from the bar “ Bucky reached into his jacket and pulled out an envelope and rifled through it producing a picture. “This is the chap from the bar - correct?” 

Belle looked down at the shot and gave a hard swallow. In front of her was a still, obviously from the clubs security camera of the asshole from the night before his hand wrapped around her wrist “Yeah that’s him”

“Ok. So I went to check on him -no sign of him at his address of place of business. I spoke with the landlord and he let me look inside his apartment. It was in rough shape but there was nothing out of the ordinary other than this” 

Belle let out a gasp as Bucky puled out a t-shirt that she recognized. It was the one from weeks ago that she thought she had lost 

“But… how.. I mean Why? I had a shirt like that - i thought it was lost” Steve moved to sit next to her, his arm curling over her shoulders as he pulled her into his warm body. His lips grazed the top of her head as he rocked her a little. 

“Im sorry, I know this must be upsetting. My best guess is that he broke into your apartment and took it. I found it under his bed. “

Belle couldn’t help but feel sick - she turned her face into Steve’s chest missing the shared grin between the two friends

“I also took the liberty of checking your apartment Belle, Would you call yourself a tidy person?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“Bucky!” 

Steve and Belle both spoke at the same time. Steve had known the tack that Bucky was planning to take, but he had also assumed that his friend would be a little more gentle about it.

Bucky held up a hand “I’m sorry, I needed to check. Belle is this how your apartment looked when you left it” More rifling and more pictures were produced 

Belle’s hand raised to her mouth and tears welled . The shots were of her apartment, she recognized her things but it looked like it had been completely ransacked. Her clothes were all over the floor, her mattress looked to have been slashed and gouged and her kitchen was a filthy hovel 

“Oh my god!”

“Jesus Bucky put them away”

“I’m sorry I needed to check. The thing is the man in the picture,” Bucky gestured to the first image “Gavin Newton has gone missing - he had items of you clothing, you were attacked and your apartment destroyed.” Bucky paused for dramatic effect before running his hand through his his hair. “The bottom line is that I think he’s been watching you, probably for some time and to be frank I think you could be in danger”

Belle looked between Bucky and Steve her face pale and her eyes wide with shock. “I…I don’t understand. I hadn’t seen him anywhere before the other night at the bar. This shirt has been missing for ages. I mean - I don’t know how he got it, but …” Her mind was whirling and the headache that had been lingering surged forward again. Groaning she rubbed at her head 

“What would you suggest that we do Bucky. I know Belle was wanting to go home to recover, I mean obviously we would need to fix things up” Steve looked to his friend as he gently guided Belle further into his side, arm tightening.

Bucky shook his head “I totally understand why you would want to be back at home Belle, but honestly I don’t think you would be safe. If your top has been missing for as long as you say, my best guess would be that this guy has been creeping on you for a while” He could see the fear in Belle’s face and watched as Steve squeezed her in what Bucky assumed would be a comforting way.

“Do you have anyone you could stay with?” He knew his question would upset Steve but in order make this whole plan work they needed to ensure that they followed the steps that someone actually would go through 

He watched as Belle’s face fell further “No I don’t. I … I’ll need to go back to the apartment and sort out the mess and then maybe see if the landlord will let me get some new locks…” her voice trailed off and Bucky schooled his face into an expression of concern

“No. That’s not going to happen,” Steve cut in “I’m sorry Belle but I can’t let you go back there, knowing that it isn’t safe. If you don’t have anywhere else that you can stay then you will stay here. I am out of the house fairly often but you can have the run of the place until we know what has happened with the Gavin. I simply couldn’t sleep at night if I didn’t know that you were safe”

Belle was shaking her head but Bucky knew that it was a moot point, Steve wasn’t going to let her go, and if she didn’t buy this story then he was fairly sure that he would have some other plan.

Belle closed her eyes trying to think through the pounding pain in her head. She was aware of Steve and Bucky talking quietly but she had no desire or ability to focus on their words even If they related to her. Some man she didn’t know from Adam had wrecked her house and seemed to have attacked her. Why? What had she done to warrant that kind of attention?

Her thoughts just spun around, with nothing making all that much sense. Steve’s arm was still around her shoulders and she felt herself slump a little further into his side, the warm smell of him somehow comforting to her muddled senses.

“Oh god!” Belle’s sudden cry had both Steve and Bucky turning to face her “The other woman! what about the other woman!” Her heart was pounding in her chest as she pulled herself upright pushing her hair from her face. She moved her glance between the two men. They just looked back at her confused. 

Belle shifted forwards her hand going to the pictures that sat on the ottoman, there had to be a shot of her somewhere, What if this man who wanted to hurt her had turned his attention to the woman who had helped her at the bar. Hands shaking she tried to move the pictures around, her body not moving the way she wanted. The pictures fell to the ground and with a cry of frustration Belle slipped her body off the sofa onto the floor, grabbing at the images.  
Bucky looked at Steve in confusion. Steve moved forward and crouched down calmly taking hold of Belle’s hands, moving so he was holding her wrists and keeping them still until she looked at him. Her eyes made his heart ache, thy were wide open, tears pooling in the corners and her pupils were blown wide. he could feel her heart thundering through her pulse.

“Belle I need you to stop, we don’t understand and can’t help”

Her breath coming in pants Belle blinked and then showed in frustration pulling a little to try and free her hands, her injured wrist aching as she did so “There was a woman, at the bar” The tears started to fall “She helped me and…. the tears started to turn into sobs “She helped me with him and now….” Belle tried to pull away again, she had to show them “She helped me….”

Steve suddenly understood. “The night you were hurt a woman at the bar helped you when that man touched you” Belle nodded. “Ok and you’re worried that he might of hurt her” the nods became more frantic and the tears fell more quickly

Steve kept his face serious as he looked up a Bucky “Did you see another woman on the footage Buck? Could you see if you can find anything out about her and check up on her”. 

Bucky nodded “Sure, I wasn’t looking for that last time but I think I remember seeing someone. I’m sure she is fine. The thing is guys like this fellow, they tend to focus their attention in one place, but I can check her out. Maybe stop off and warn her”

Belle looked up at him, all big eyes softened with tears and he could see why Steve had picked her. She was soft and gentle and just what his friend would need. He was also impressed that she had thought of Nat. He had seen the confrontation when he had pulled up the camera footage and had a chuckle at how the asshole who had laid hands on Steve’s girl had been shocked when the petite red head had caused him so much trouble.

“It’s kind of late now, how about this - tonight I’ll go back and see what I can find out about this woman and then first thing tomorrow I’ll track her down and check up on her, As soon as I’ve gotten some information I’ll let Steve know and you can out your mind to rest”. 

Bucky’s blue yes seemed to bore into hers and she found that she couldn’t look away. Blinking slowly she nodded her head processing what he was saying. She wanted to say that he had to check on her tonight, but if it was late then maybe she would be pissed if he disturbed her. 

Her eyes glanced over to Steve who was still looking at her with concern. “You hear that Doll, Buck will find out what he can and let us know. Now sitting down here isn’t going to help all of these injuries. How about we get you up to bed and let you rest. Can you give me 5 minutes Bucky?”

Belle found herself scooped up and being carried out of the room, the sudden movement making her feel sick. She closed her eyes, resting her head against Steves chest, not opening them again until she felt the soft mattress below her. The lights in the room were dim and and soothing and she watched Steve as he busied himself first with the covers before heading towards the bathroom with a glass

“I’m gonna get you a glass of water Doll and a pain killer”

“I…” Belle’s voice cracked as she tried to speak “I don’t think that I need the pain killers. They’re making my head feel…. wrong”

Steve came back through, glass in hand. “How about something a little more gentle, you need to rest and I’m worried you could be in shock. Just something so you can rest well”

The constant pounding in her head made the decision for her “OK, but not the ones from before”. 

“Of course sweetheart. I don’t want you taking anything you’re not happy with. I think I have some soluble aspirin in here- would that be ok?”

“Sure”. Belle rubbed at her temples trying to ease the pain

Steve returned with the glass a moment later swirling the liquid around gently and when he handed it to her, she could see the last of the aspirin dissolving. It was far from pleasant but she managed to swallow it down as Steve watched

“OK now you should try and get some rest. I’m going to go and see Bucky out”


End file.
